“The end goal in finding your involvement niche is the moment you say, ‘Wow, this is who I am and this is what I want to do.’ I feel as if Stout fosters an environment where all students can experience this moment and I think that’s absolutely phenomenal.”
He may have only transferred to Stout last Fall, but he, without a doubt, has captured the true essence of what kind of place UW-Stout is and how to get everything you can out of the college experience. This celeb will inspire you, relate to you, and prompt you to get up and go get involved. Along with his noteworthy words of advice, he has the lowdown on what the biggest organization on campus has planned for this year, which will leave you in anticipation! Meet Campus Celeb, Matthew Gundrum!
Name: Matthew Gundrum
Major: Professional Communications and Emerging Media
Year: Junior
Hometown: Franklin, WI
HC Position: Editorial Director
HC: Aside from Her Campus, how else are you involved on campus?
MG: I am the Entertainment Editor for Stoutonia and the Public Marketing Director for Blue Devil Productions.
HC: What are some of your favorite things about being apart of Blue Devil Productions?
MG: First and foremost, I love my fellow executive board members. They’re creative, hardworking people who make anything seem possible. I also love the feeling of attending an event and seeing a ton of people there enjoying themselves. It really makes all the hard work you put in pay off. Lastly, being apart of BDP pushes you to do things you never thought you were capable of. It’s been an incredible experience thus far!
HC: What exciting things can we expect to see from BDP this year?
MG: Variety is the name of the game this year. Our next event is rising pop/r&b singer, Pieter Oliver, on Sept. 24th. Later this semester we have indie rock, hardcore, country rock, and rap! For movies, we have this crazy weird date movie called The Overnight on Sept. 25th and in October we’re showing Minions! Oh, and we’ve got Nickelodeon legend Kel Mitchell in December for all your nostalgia needs (I know you remember Good Burger). As for the “Big Show”, well, you’ll just have to wait and see!
HC: We all know that Stout’s the best, but what do you like most about it?
MG: I LOVE how Stout pushes students to get involved. It’s imperative to your success at college that you find clubs and organizations that align with your interests and strengths. It expands your professional network, beefs up your resume, and introduces you to likeminded individuals. And never be afraid to org-hop or join multiple orgs at once! It’s all about self-realization in college and it’s impossible to know yourself without putting forth effort to make that discovery. The end goal in finding your involvement niche is the moment you say, “Wow, this is who I am and this is what I want to do.” I feel as if Stout fosters an environment where all students can experience this moment and I think that’s absolutely phenomenal.
HC: What prompted you to pursue a major in Communications?
MG: Well, I came to Stout for Dietetics, but soon realized it wasn’t for me. I switched into Communications because I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing so it only seemed right!
HC: Where do you get your inspiration from?
MG: Music will always be my number one answer to a question like this. Fashion is super inspiring as well. Otherwise, I get really inspired from anything off-kilter.
HC: It’s clear that you have a stunningly bright future ahead, so what are your plans and aspirations?
MG: This is by far the toughest question! I’m still growing as a person and gauging what/who is calling me. All I know is that I’d like to end up writing for a major publication or doing marketing/communications in the entertainment industry.
SPEED ROUND:
Favorite TV Show: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Favorite App: Cymbal. Social media app for music lovers. Highly recommend!
Favorite Study Spot: 5th floor library
Favorite Food: I recently decided that a sandwich with roast beef from Acoustic is my favorite food.